Bem Robinson is a British designer specialised in combining materials and textures to create outstanding furniture and decorative pieces. He creates meaningful designs that evoke emotions and explores a diverse range of materials resulting in his recognisable style.
His minimal aesthetic starts with his design philosophy: embracing the authenticity and beauty of nature. Inspired by his travels and own experiences, his designs are the combination of impermanent and incomplete shapes creating timeless, unpredictable, and unique pieces.
At The White Interior, we love his stunning work. We are always in search of meaningful furniture and decorative pieces, and when we found him we wanted to know more about it. Continue reading and discover what is behind Bem Robinson Studio.
Bem Robinson Interview
1. Describe yourself in three words.
Passionate, competitive, creative.
2. How did you make your way into the design industry?
I have always had a love for arts and crafts, studying product design and art in school and college before gaining my degree in product design. After I worked in various studios in UK, Norway, and Hong Kong developing a broad range of knowledge in the industry.
3. Tell us about your work. What do you think it reflects?
My work reflects imperfections in a sense, making the most of what we have and turning it into something special and beautiful.
4. How do you think your experiences influence your work and your designs?
I have never been the most perfect person or perfect at doing work. My work uses this specialty for making mistakes to create products that highlight this specialty.
5. Can you explain what inspires you and how that inspiration is reflected in your designs?
Nature inspires me, forms and flows of patterns in the world, whether that be textures of rocks to shapes of leaves. I take inspiration from it all
6. Is there any piece that is particularly significant to you?
My eclipse sculpture for IT Apparel Macau is a defining piece for me that has brought me a lot of peace whilst making it. the sculpture at first looked impossible to make and there were various hiccups along the way but looking back and seeing the finished piece I appreciate the journey to get there so much more.
7. We love your Contra Collection. Could you tell us about these decorative pieces?
The contra collection is my way of showing contrast in material experimentation and colour and how that contrast can be used to create beautiful pieces. I use these practices to create vessels that compliment the home.
8. What is your perfect creative environment? Do you create that atmosphere in your studio?
A warm atmosphere is paramount for my creative environment with good natural lighting. My studio has some big windows to achieve this. Also, I have to listen to something whilst working whether it be podcasts or music. Depending on whether I am going through ideation stages or sculpting a piece the music genre changes.
9. Tell us a bit about your design process. Do you have any particular method?
My design process is never the same, often a design I have drawn in a sketchbook first will be my final design or sometimes I need to put my ideas on hold to let my thoughts breathe and come back to it with fresh eyes. Once I have a feel and a vibe for a design I push on to using software to draw and render a 2d and 3d visualisation, with this complete I would 3d print a mock-up and then construct the final piece.
10. How is the process of a new creation? From the idea to the final piece.
I will write out what I want the piece to convey in words then look at sketching shapes and forms that match said words. From here I go to colours and materials choosing materials and colours that match the emotion or feeling that I want to show, Then I will build the final piece
11. What do you think is more important, form or function?
Both are important, I lean towards function as I think everything has to have a function to be relevant from the function is concrete the form can take shape.
12. Is there a person in the design industry that you particularly admire?
I admire Frank Horns leather works, Shane Vincent’s photography, Peju oBosa has some nice knitted bags also. There are actually too many to name I watch a lot of Japanese master carpenters also for inspiration and admire their dedication to their craft.
13. What are your other passions and interests?
I love cycling it gives me chance to clear my mind and just relax. I’m a geek at heart also so regularly catch up and the latest manga, and Marvel/DC/ Image comics. I would like to pick up rollerblading in the future.
14. Can you talk about any projects you are working on at the moment?
I am working on expanding the Contra collection utilising a variaty of different woods and stones to create something beautiful that I will launch this year.
15. We’d love to know you a bit more. How is a normal day in your life?
A day for me isn’t as glamorous as you may think. I tend to wake up and journal my thoughts and look at today’s tasks, look through emails, etc, from there I would go into the studio normally I have something to make or finish off and I would spend a few hours in construction. After I decide to end the day I will read a book write in my journal thoughts and feelings and then plan for the next day.
